China detains four Japanese nationals

ChrisOliver

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- China is investigating four Japanese nationals accused of entering a military zone without authorization and carrying out "illegal" video taping of a military site in northern Hebei Province, according to a report by China's state-run Xinhua news agency. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku said Friday he does not believe the detentions are retaliation for Japan's decision to arrest a Chinese fishing captain near a set of Japanese-controlled, though disputed, islands, according to a report by NHK. Sengoku reportedly made the comment shortly before Japan released the fisherman, without charging him. Japan's Foreign Ministry has requested to meet with the detained Japanese national, reports said. The four Japanese were employees of Tokyo-based construction company Fujita Corp
3370, +2.90%
The four were gathering information in preparation for a bid to dispose of chemical weapons abandoned in China by the Japanese military during World War II, according to a Nikkei report which cited an unidentified source. The company said it was unaware that the area its employees would visit was a military zone.

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